The First Time I Saw Him
by Azamiko
Summary: The first time someone saw Naruto...
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: not mine

THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM

The first time I saw him walking down the street, I looked around for his parents for a good five minutes before realizing that the boy—who couldn't have been older than 5— was alone. After that, I began worrying that he might be lost; ignoring the fact that he seemed to know exactly where he was going. I would have walked over to him that day, but he disappeared into the crowds too quickly. Still, I stared after him, a bit disturbed, though I couldn't say exactly why.

Then next time I saw him, he was alone again. At that point, I hadn't yet realized that he was _always_ alone. A small boy with bright eyes and an even brighter outfit, but somehow, no one seemed to see him but me. That day, his stride was a little slower than before, due, most likely, to the scrapes and cuts on his knees. I watched him trudge down the street and hoped that there would be someone waiting to clean his wounds.

By the time I saw him again, I knew that there was never anyone waiting for him. I had heard some batty old women gossiping and finally knew who the boy was. That day, I studied him, looking for something that would mark him as different, as _other_. The only things I saw that looked even slightly out of place were those marks on his cheeks, the ones that looked like whiskers, if you looked hard enough. After identifying them, I stared at the ground until I was sure that he was far, far away.

Of all my memories, the fourth time I saw him still shines as one of the brightest. Again, he trudged, this time looking half-starved as well as scruffy. However, this time, I didn't look away, and I didn't just watch him. With the memory of the first time I'd seen him and what I'd thought then strong in my mind, I purposefully met his eyes. They were such a clear blue, and it was heartbreaking to see _knowledge_ in them. He knew, though he might not know why. Steadily, I kept my gaze fastened on his, and I smiled. Shyly, he walked over, reaching into his pocket.

"Excuse me, is this enough for a bowl of ramen?" he held out a few coins.

"Yes," I continued to smile, "come on in."


	2. Medic

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine...;-;...

Thanks to all of those who've reviewed my scribblings, or even read them.

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The first time I saw him, on a morning that was all golden light and clear, crisp air, I almost thought that he was an angel, fallen from heaven to break upon the doorstep of Konohagakure's hospital. The other medic on duty, a sour old woman who had a whiney voice but the gentlest hands you could imagine, didn't seem to be quite as stunned as I; once she had ascertained that there was indeed a person--heavenly or not-- unconscious and laying on the hard ground, she leapt into action, dragging me down the stairs to help her carry him inside.

Close up, I could see that the boy was no angel, no angel, even after a fall, could be _that_ ragged and dirty; God simply wouldn't allow it. The other medic, too, seemed to recognize his humanity as well as, it seemed, his identity, for her eyes--usually like beady little raisins--widened, showing white for the first time since I met her.

"Ky--" was the only sound she made, it even seemed like she was holding her breath as she looked frantically around the street. I, too, took the time to glance about, still half-expecting to see feathers strewn about the dusty street; it was then that I noticed that we were standing inside a huge…foot-print? Paw-print, hand-print? What exactly was it?

Before I had a chance to ask my companion, however, she instructed me--rather curtly--to take the boy's feet and help her ease him onto the stretcher that another medic was finally carrying over to us. I did so, of course. No matter who this child was--angel or demon--it was my duty--as it was hers--to tend to him.

It was only later that I learned exactly who the boy was, and, for just a moment, I wondered. I wondered if the boy, who looked so angelic when he slept, could really be the demon that others saw him as. I wondered if there had been a moment, even a _second_ when the older medic had questioned herself about whether she should just leave him lying in the streets. I wondered if _I_ would have hesitated. Then the moment passed, and I walked to his room to check on him. Angel, devil, or human, it is the job of the medic to heal whatever we are able.


	3. Plant

Disclaimer: Of course, Naruto is not mine...

This one is a little odd...sorry;

Thanks to:

Kativa-chan

srusse87 (wow...I'm not sure whether to apologize for that or say thank you...)

Nissie

ivybluesummers

Fei-sama

Aimi-chan

Seamarmot

nonengel

gargoylesama

maxhrk

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THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM: FAMILY MEMBER 

I have never seen anything but him, my sun. Every day, he comes home, hurt and tired and so lonely, and I can feel myself break with sadness for him. It went on for so long, and I had no way of helping him. After all, I am just a plant, a motionless, voiceless plant that he found trampled in the dirt on the side of the road. Naruto, my sun, brought me home, potted me, and cared for me. With his sky clear eyes, he watched me grow; as I watched him grow.

It didn't take me long to realize that I was the only one he had to care for, that I was the only one he had. He talked to me because I was the only one who would listen and listen I did. I heard all about the small cruelties (because no one dared to say or do anything outright) and about his dreams; I was the only one who ever saw him cry. And all I could do was watch. But then…

The year before he left for so long, that was a good year. He would still be tired, but it was a satisfied sort of exhaustion. He still talked to me, told me things, but now, sometimes, his teacher or even one of his teammates would stop over for some reason or another. It was strange, actually seeing evidence of his life outside of our home, but it was a relief, too. I worried about him.

I don't know exactly what happened while he was away, chasing the dark-haired boy. All I know is that Naruto didn't come home for almost a week after that other boy with the lazy eyes came and got him that night. Then, when he did come home, it was just to pack his things into boxes. It was sad to note that all of his possessions only filled 2 medium-sized boxes, though. I don't know where he brought them, and honestly, I don't care. After so many years of staring at them day in and out, I hate those bloody scrolls and sheets.

Then, he came over to me. All of these years, we've been together, and I know him better than anyone. He looked so serious; I have to admit it: I was scared.

"I'm going away for a while, to train. I'll be traveling the entire time, so I can't take you with me; I'm sorry. Ino said that she'd take care of you while I'm gone. You'll like her flower shop; it's bright and there are lots of other plants around. Don't worry about the cut flowers, she won't do anything to you."

He picked up my pot, and there was never a moment when I wanted more to speak, to say 'no, please take me with you!' But I couldn't; I'm just a plant. Just a stupid plant that a lonely little boy took in and cared for, and talked to and darn it! If it had remained just him and me, everything would be fine…except…it wouldn't; I know that. I know that. I know that he has been happier than ever before, that I am just not enough. Naruto, my bright, golden sun, is growing up, and I have no choice but to let him chase his dreams.

"Goodbye."


	4. Weeds

Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me. I love tomatoes!

Thanks to: Eveilae, Aseret Kitsune, Seamarmot, krn kimbap, nonengel, Silverchild of the Winds, Love is for fools, Nejidragon, Kativa-chan, Nissie, Genki9, Jess, Fei-sama, Tenchi-Tara, happy kid, Rena, ivybluesummers, Aimi-chan, Gargoylesama, maxhrk, and srusse87...I REALLY hope that I didn't somehow miss anyone…

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The First Time I Saw Him: Gardener

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A pint-sized blond with more ambition than brains. That's what I thought when I first saw Uzumaki Naruto. Maybe I was right, but I've realized since then, that that isn't all he is.

I first met him when his team was assigned to help me with my garden, pulling weeds mostly. The other two did fine; I showed them the weeds once, and they could pick them out with no trouble. The blond kid though…Well, he was another story. There was something in his eyes when I told them that I wanted them to get rid of some unwanted roughage that I didn't really like. It reminded me too much of how I must have looked when my husband died, a little lost, a little alone, knowing that there is no one to be lost with you.

But, whether he felt bad for the weeds or not, it was his mission, and he started work just like the other two. Until I noticed that he was pulling up everything _but_ the weeds, that is. I don't think that his teammates, or even his teacher, noticed what I did at that point. It was his own small rebellion; he felt _bad_ for the weeds.

So, I did what anyone would have done. I yelled at him for messing up my garden, and then, when his teammates weren't looking, I invited him back later for tea. I'm not sure why I did that, maybe because I was lonely and sensed the same in him. Maybe because I could understand why he wanted to protect the weeds.

Anyway, he came, wary and a bit confused. I don't think that he'd ever just sat and had tea with someone before. He looked uncomfortable, especially when I brought up the weeds again.

"You know, kid, even though I feel bad for plucking the weeds sometimes--not just because of my lousy knees, either!--I know that I have to do it. If we didn't pull the weeds, then all of the useful and pretty plants would be strangled and wasted. Do you get what I mean?"

"Sorry 'bout ripping up your plants, dattebayo!" And I think that he really was, if only because he didn't like wrecking the wanted plants any more than he had liked pulling the weeds. "But they all look so much alike; I'm only used to houseplants, dattebayo!"

"Really? Then come out to the garden with me, and I'll point them out again."

Nervously--I don't think he'd had many occasions to trust people--he followed me out into the evening air. The wind was picking up in that way it does just before a summer thunderstorm, but even with the shadows and clouds, I showed him what each plant was again. And the shadows and clouds couldn't hide the acknowledgement in his eyes; he already knew what most of them were called.

Instead of calling him on his fib, I brought him over to the small patch of ground in which I grew food-plants. The tomatoes were bright red, almost over-ripe. Picking one, I handed it to the blond boy.

"You know what's funny, kid? People used to think tomatoes were weeds." I watched closely as his eyes widened as he looked at the fruit in his hand.

"Really?"

"Yeah, they even thought that they were poisonous, because of the red color, I guess. But then, one day, a guy got up in front of everyone and said that no, tomatoes weren't poison and they weren't weeds. He stood there, in front of people who feared a _fruit_, and he ate it."

The look in the kid's eyes now was understanding; he got what I was trying to tell him. A slow smile started taking over his small face.

"Funny, isn't it? What was once a feared weed is now one of today's most debated and useful fruits--and yes, it is a _fruit_, not a vegetable."

He definitely got it, and when he went home--toting a potted tomato plant--I bet he understood the real difference between weeds and useful plants.


	5. Sandnin

Disclaimer: Naruto's-Not-Mine.

A/N: I didn't really plan to write another of these…but, the series continues…Thanks for all of the reviews! I'm not entirely sure that I'm allowed to answer them, so maybe I'll put them in the next chapter…

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Sand-nin

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I'll admit it: I was all set to hate them—to hate _him—_before we'd even met. It galled me that we were calling for help against only two ninja. I tried to ignore the fact that those two ninja had injured some of our best warriors and had managed to kidnap our Kazekage. No, I just wanted to resent the people who came to help us.

Hating the silver-haired jounin was easy, he was calm and confident and probably quite skilled. I've heard the others say that he's some sort of genius. So hating him was easy.

The girl was a little harder. She looked young and sweet and so determined to put her training to good use. I might not have been able to hate her if it weren't for the fact that Tsunande-sama was her instructor. No matter how skilled and how pretty the girl might have been, she earned my enmity simply because of her teacher's name.

The boy, though, he was different. Yeah, I heard that he was trained by Jiraiya-sama himself, but I haven't lost a family member to Jiraiya's teachings, at least, not that I know of, so I don't mind that.

With his bright blond hair and blue eyes, the kid could have been one of us, and I suppose that made me a little more…no, a little less hateful than I might have otherwise been. Stupid, I know, but there it is.

So, that one little opening, that one crack, I guess that that's what stopped me from being able to hate the boy at first. It also struck me as odd that he was included in this mission; somehow, he didn't have the confidence of the other two. Even with Jiraiya's instruction, I doubted that the kid was really all that great. He was just too…open.

However, the Kazekage's brother seemed to trust him even more than the other two, and later, I found out why. Someone told me, someone who knew the old gossip from Konohagakure, that the kid was the holder of that old nine-tailed kyuubi. _And_ that he'd beaten the Kazekage in a fight a few years ago. Looking at the Kazekage as he was recently, and comparing his personality and actions to those of the time before that fight…well, I can see the influence that this kid had.

So, he earned my respect. I don't know about the other two, they are _ninja_ after all, but this kid, this Naruto, he'll do his best to bring our Kazekage back. And somehow, knowing that it's _him_ helping us, I don't mind so much.


	6. Mother

Naruto is not mine. Today is his birthday...I did this just in time! This is for all of my reviewers, I really appreciate them!

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The First Time I Saw Him: Mother

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When I saw his face, my heart just cracked and broke. His scrunched-up nose, the fuzz covering his head, those perfect little fingers and toes, he was so beautiful I cried, tears mixing with the sweat and blood, _too much blood, _that covered my body.

I cried even more when the medic took him away from me, even though she gave him right back. With no idea where his father was--whether he was alive or dead or worse--I had nothing to hold onto but my precious little boy. For hours, as the blood drained from my body and the medics frantically rushed around, tried to take my baby, tried to do _something_ to stop the inevitable, I held him and memorized his face, because I knew that there would be nothing in heaven as close to perfection as he was. I traced those marks on his cheeks over and over, hoping that he would remember this gentleness, knowing that there is little room in the life of a ninja for such things.

I held him all that day--or what felt like a day--and into the evening,--I only remember that it began to grow dark--as my life dripped onto the already blood-soaked floor. Eventually, the medics left to help some people--victims of the Kyuubi--who had a chance of surviving. I spent my last hours--or were they moments?--with my child and died with his name on my lips. "Naruto."


	7. Danzou

Thanks for all of the reviews. I don't like this chapter...This is really how I think he'd think, though.

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I don't remember the first time I saw him. It was after the battle with the Kyuubi, and I'd just heard about the Yondaime. I was busy seeing to my people and didn't pay close enough attention to just _how_ the Yondaime had defeated the Kyuubi. That was my first mistake.

My second mistake was not sending someone to kill the child immediately once I had learned the details. Even if the council was against it, even if the Sandaime himself was protecting the brat, I should have sent someone. I'll say this, I knew that he'd be trouble later.

By the time it was given to more permanent caretakers, I'd decided to see where the whole thing went. If the child showed any signs of possession, I was sure that the council would take care of it. After all, they were more afraid than I was of it.

I can't clearly remember the first time I saw him, really. I knew of his exploits and had seen him around the village, but aside from being sure that he showed no demonic traits, I paid him no mind. He wasn't my problem; he was that old fool's trouble.

Whoever trained him, though, didn't do a proper job of it. Half-wild, he always seemed, whenever I saw him running away from whoever was after him that day. I couldn't understand _what_ exactly had been done to him to make him turn out like that. But again, it wasn't my problem. And if it became my problem…well, I know how to deal with them.

He's going after Orochimaru now, with the Godaime's apprentice and one of her pet anbu. I've sent Sai with them. Hopefully, I won't see him again.


	8. Moegi

Like the others, this just...came to mind. It's been so long since I wrote the others that I'm not sure if this fits with them perfectly. But, I've wondered what she thought...

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I'd never admit this to Konohamaru or Udon, but when I first saw him, I didn't understand why Konohamaru thought that he was so great. I knew that he was Konohamaru's hero, but his teammates were so much cooler than him. Sakura-san was at the top of their class in academics, and Sasuke, well, he was an Uchiha. All the girls in my class adored him, and I was no different.

I couldn't figure out why Konohamaru looked up to him so much, but I went along with it, because that's what friends do. I joined him and Udon in trying to sneak up on Naruto-san, but even though he wasn't that great, we still never succeeded. I knew that it was because of our amateur technique, but Konohamaru just thought that Naruto-san _was_ _that good._

I don't think he ever noticed the way other people looked at Naruto-san, or the way they'd look away quickly when I looked back at them. He was a loser, and everyone knew it, and there we were, following him around like he was the best. I just couldn't understand what Konohamaru saw in him.

Then, I had a fight with Konohamaru and Udon, because, ironically enough, I finally got up the guts to question our choice in idols. Not our choice, Konohamaru's. I expected Udon to back me up, because surely he'd seen the same things I had. But he didn't. He defended 'Naruto-sama's greatness' with the same fervor as Konohamaru. They got really mad at me, so I left.

But we were in the forest when we had the fight, and since Konohamaru had been leading the way, I got lost pretty quickly. I'm a ninja, so I didn't cry or anything like that, but I was pretty upset. It was almost dark by the time I wandered into the farthest training fields.

They were scorched and full of holes. The trees around them were destroyed; that's how I found my way, following the destruction. I didn't think that anyone was there at first, because it was so late in the day. I figured that I'd spend the night there before trying to find my way back in the morning.

Suddenly, though, there he was, climbing out of one of the bigger holes, all covered in dirt and cuts and bruises. He seemed surprised to see me there, especially once he realized that I was alone. He asked me what was wrong, and I have to admit that I might have cried a little then. I told him about fighting with Konohamaru and Udon and about wandering in the forest all day. He laughed and said that he'd gotten lost there often enough to know what it felt like.

He was quiet for a minute, then, and his face had a strange, serious expression that I didn't remember ever seeing before. Then, he gave me a funny smile and said that he could get me back to the village, but he couldn't help much with problems between friends.

I started to thank him, but the words were hardly out of my mouth before he picked me up and put me on his shoulders. I protested, saying that he must be tired after training all day. He laughed and said that I'd been the one walking through the forest all day, and besides, he'd count this as extra training.

It was a long walk, and I have to admit that I think I drowsed for a little bit of it near the end. Naruto-san was tired; I could tell. But he didn't seem bothered about carrying me.

I asked him why he was training so late, and he said that he always did. I asked him where his teammates were, and he shrugged. Probably at home, he said. I asked him why he trained so late, and he said that he had something to prove. I asked him who he had to prove it to, and he got quiet again. Then, he said 'everyone.'

I think I fell asleep then, and only woke up when I heard Konohamaru and Udon calling my name. They ran up to us, looking really upset. I started crying, just a little bit. Konohamaru would have made me stop, but Naruto held him off, saying that it was okay to cry if you were happy. Then, he looked at me and asked me if I was crying because I was happy to see my friends.

I nodded, and then bowed to Konohamaru. I apologized and told him and Udon that I understood. Naruto-san looked a little confused--which, on him, looks a lot like irritation--but seemed happy that I'd made up with them.

I thought back to the first time I saw him, then, and all the times I'd inwardly questioned his worthiness. I'd been stupid, just like Konohamaru and Udon had said. Naruto-san might not have the grades or the looks of his teammates, but he had something that they didn't have. Sometime during the walk back to the village, I'd caught a glimpse of it. I wondered if Konohamaru followed Naruto to learn what it was, or if he followed Naruto because he already knew. Either way, that night, my best friend's hero became my own.


End file.
